Monday, 26 September 2011

Yesterday was Word on the Street here in Vancouver, and of course I went as I do every year. I go with a writer friend, who comes with me to see the book arts table, and then I go with her to the Romance Writers' table, and then we both hit the mystery writers' display. Then a general tour, lunch, a couple of talks, and revisiting our favourites. I always plan to join the Calligraphy Society and never quite actually do. What can I say? It's tradition.

This year I bought a book, "The Silk Train Murder: A Mystery of the Klondike" (all of us long-time Vancouverites know about the silk trains, or should), and was sorely tempted by this lavishly illustrated tarot-based cookery-based thing. Downstairs in the library ("Word Under The Street") is always the lair of the cartoonists, anime and e-zines. This year I was amazed by the quality of artistic talent, as otherwise normal-looking people lounged behind their display tables casually doodling out pictures I could never hope to even begin to draw. The calligraphers evoke the same amazement, only I always think I could conceivably learn calligraphy, while I never think I could learn anime. (There's supposed to be an accent on the last e of anime but I don't know how to type it. Kindly imagine it for me, will you?)